Munster secure crucial bonus-point victory away to Connacht thanks to Jack Crowley
Munster’s Jack Crowley scores a try against Connacht. Picture: INPHO/Billy Stickland
A brilliant display by Jack Crowley inspired 14-man Munster to victory over Connacht in the novel URC clash at a thronged MacHale Park in Castlebar on Saturday.
The Innishannon man had the honour of kicking the first rugby points at the venue in the seventh minute when his 30m penalty split the posts.
The first try scorer ended up being Tom Ahern, who brilliantly scored in the left corner in the 12th minute. Crowley sparked it with a wonderful chip over the top that was collected by Ben O’Connor, who was supported initially by Craig Casey. Gavin Coombes stepped into nine to find Tom Farrell, who moved it onwards to John Hodnett and finally back to Crowley again, who fed Ahern to barge his way over.
The huge home crowd was in full voice in the 20th minute when number eight Sean Jansen powered his way over in the left corner from close range.
Two minutes later and Munster crossed again. Calvin Nash easily brushed off an attempted tackle by Santiago Cordero to pierce the Connacht cover and he popped to Casey to saunter over.
Munster looked comfortable at that juncture but in the 26th minute that all changed when Alex Nankivell was issued a red card for making a dangerous head-high clear out on Cian Prendergast.
A clever 50-22 from Crowley gave Munster crucial territory towards the end of the half, with the Munster out-half kicking a 38th-minute penalty to make it 5-18 at half time.
In the 45th minute, Connacht winger Finn Treacy took advantage of the extra man to ghost through a gap and fed Caolin Blade to go over.
Munster then piled on the pressure and drove at Connacht until eventually Casey found Crowley with a sublime flat pass to put him over for the try and Diarmuid Barron got the bonus point try in the 59th minute after he crashed through Bundee Aki to score.
Tadhg Beirne was sin-binned in the 63rd minute and Sean Jansen immediately capitalised by crashing over against what was now a 13-man defence.
An excellent Mack Hansen 50-22 gave Connacht prime territory for the first time in ten minutes and they struck immediately through a Josh Ioane try in the 74th minute to get within range.
Dylan Tierney-Martin had a try chalked off in the 78th minute for a croc roll by Aki on Coombes in the build-up and Niall Scannell got issued a yellow in the 79th minute to give Connacht one last chance, but an Ahern lineout steal won it for Munster.
J Ioane (1 try, 1 con), JJ Hanrahan (1 con), S Jansen (2 tries), C Blade (1 try).
J Crowley (1 try, 2 pens, 2 cons), T Ahern, C Casey, D Barron (1 try each).
M Hansen; C Mullins, H Gavin, B Aki, F Treacy; J Ioane, C Blade; J Duggan, D Heffernan, F Bealham; J Joyce, D Murray; C Prendergast (c), S Hurley-Langton, S Jansen.
S Cordero for C Mullins (5), J Murphy for C Prendergast (25), M Devine and JJ Hanrahan for C Blade and S Cordero (54), D Buckley, J Aungier, P Boyle for J Duggan, F Bealham; J Joyce (57) D Tierney-Martin for D Heffernan (59).
B O'Connor; C Nash, T Farrell, A Nankivell, S O’Brien; J Crowley, C Casey; J Loughman, D Barron, O Jager; F Wycherley, T Beirne (capt); T Ahern, J Hodnett, G Coombes.
A Kendellen for J Hodnett (23), S Archer and J Kleyn for O Jager and F Wycherley (54), N Scannell and J Wycherley for D Barron and J Loughman (60), R Quinn and C Murray for A Kendellen and C Casey (67).
Andrew Brace (IRFU)
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